1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel that is adaptive for realizing a high efficiency. The present invention also is directed to a method of driving the plasma display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a plasma display panel (PDP) which is feasible in the manufacturing of a large-dimension panel has been highlighted as a flat panel display device. The PDP typically includes a three-electrode, alternating current (AC) surface discharge PDP which has three electrodes and is driven with an AC voltage as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a discharge cell of the three-electrode, AC surface discharge PDP includes a scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y and a common sustaining electrode 12Z formed on an upper substrate 10, and an address electrode 20X formed on a lower substrate 18. On the upper substrate 10 in which the scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y is formed in parallel to the common sustaining electrode 12Z, an upper dielectric layer 14 and a protective film 16 are disposed. Wall charges generated upon plasma discharge are accumulated in the upper dielectric layer 14. The protective film 16 prevents a damage of the upper dielectric layer 14 caused by the sputtering generated during the plasma discharge and improves the emission efficiency of secondary electrons. This protective film 16 is usually made from MgO. A lower dielectric layer 22 and barrier ribs 24 are formed on the lower substrate 18 provided with the address electrode 20X, and a fluorescent material 26 is coated on the surfaces of the lower dielectric layer 22 and the barrier ribs 24. The address electrode 20X is formed in a direction crossing the scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y and the common sustaining electrode 12Z. The barrier ribs 24 are formed in parallel to the address electrode 20X to prevent an ultraviolet ray and a visible light created by the discharge from being leaked into the adjacent discharge cells. The fluorescent material 26 is excited by an ultraviolet ray generated upon plasma discharge to produce any one of red, green and blue visible light rays. An inactive gas for a gas discharge is injected into a discharge space defined between the upper/lower substrate and the barrier rib.
As shown in FIG. 3, such a discharge cell is arranged in a matrix type. In FIG. 3, the discharge cell 1 is provided at each intersection among scanning/sustaining electrode lines Y1 to Ym, common sustaining electrode lines Z1 to Zm and address electrode lines X1 to Xn. The scanning/sustaining electrode lines Y1 to Ym are sequentially driven while the common sustaining electrode lines Z1 to Zm are commonly driven. The address electrode lines X1 to Xn are divided into odd-numbered lines and even-numbered lines for a driving.
Such a three-electrode, AC surface discharge PDP fails to utilize a space of the discharge cell sufficiently because a sustaining discharge between the scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y and the common sustaining electrode occurs at the center portion of the discharge cell. Accordingly, it has a problem in that brightness of the discharge cell is lowered and emission efficiency is deteriorated.
In order to solve this problem, there has been suggested a scheme of installing the scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y and the common sustaining electrode 12Z causing a sustaining electrode at each boundary portion of the discharge cell or enlarging a width of the discharge electrode. However, as a distance between the scanning/sustaining electrode 12Y and the common sustaining electrode 12Z. increases, a discharge voltage also increases. Also, as a width of the discharge electrode is increased, a discharge current is also increased. Accordingly, the conventional three-electrode, AC surface discharge PDP has the disadvantage of large power consumption.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof that is adaptive for realizing a high efficiency.
In order to achieve these and other objects of the invention, a plasma display panel according to one aspect of the present invention includes a sustaining electrode pair and an address electrode included in each discharge cell; a first dielectric layer covering the sustaining electrode pair; a floating electrode pair formed on the first dielectric layer in parallel with the sustaining electrode pair to induce a discharge of the sustaining electrode pair; and a second dielectric layer and a protective film covering the floating electrode pair.
In the plasma display panel, one side of the floating electrode pair is overlapped with the sustaining electrode pair in the longitudinal direction.
Each electrode width of the floating electrode pair is greater than the width of the sustaining electrode pair.
An electrode distance between the floating electrode pair is smaller than an electrode distance between the sustaining electrode pair.
Each electrode of the floating electrode pair is provided with at least one hole having a desired size in every discharge cell. The hole is formed in such a manner so as not to be overlapped with the sustaining electrode pair.
A method of driving a plasma display panel according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of applying a voltage sequentially for each two scanning lines in a sustaining interval and driving said voltage into a floating electrode pair arranged between said two scanning lines, thereby generating an auxiliary discharge between the floating electrode pair; and generating a sustaining discharge sequentially at said two scanning lines using the auxiliary discharge.
In the described method, one side of the floating electrode pair is overlapped with the sustaining electrode pair in the longitudinal direction and has greater electrode widths than the sustaining electrode pair, thereby driving electric charges into the sustaining electrode pair.
An electrode distance of the floating electrode pair is smaller than the distance of the sustaining electrode pair, thereby generating a primary discharge of the floating electrode pair prior to a discharge of the sustaining electrode pair.
Each electrode of the floating electrode pair is provided with at least one hole having a desired size at every discharge cell to concentrate wall charges on opposite sides of the floating electrode pair.